Commutator



pril 8 V1924.l Y*

D. nM. FULTQN .GOMMUTATOR Filed April'v. 2 sheets-sheen 1 @2M KW April 8 1924.

COMMUTATOR Filed April 7 1919 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 @nvm/doi Sie;

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Patented Apr. 8, 19,24.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEFicE.

DAVID M. FULTON, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BALTIMORE COM- MUTATOR COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION 0F MARY- LAND.

COMMUTATOR.

Application led April 7, 1919.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAvrn M. FULTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Im* provements in Commutators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction of commutator especially designed as a timer for internal combustion engines.

The invention is especially directed to improvements on the timer structure shown in U. S. Patent to Noah Number 1,175,901 granted March 14th, 1916.

. One object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of com mutator having a hollow arm through which the wires may extend and be supported in a position to prevent them from becoming oil-soaked or wet, and to so construct the hollow arm as to permit access to the wires passing therethrough, throughout their entire length.

.Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of commutator having a wire-supporting hollow-arm of such construction that the wires may be laid in place and connected to the several contact devices without the necessity of feeding the wires longitudinally through the hollow' arm.

A further object is to provide an improved construction of commutator having a laterally-projecting wire supporting arm with cavities at one side thereof in which the wires may be laid, and to provide a detachable cover or plate that may be placed over said cavities and the wires therein after the wires have been connected to their respective contacts.

With these. and other objects in view, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,-

Fig. 1. shows an end elevation of a gear casing of an engine and a front elevation of a timer or commutator embodying my improvements and attached to said casing.

Fig. 2, illustrates the same in vertical longitudinal section,-the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, shows a cross-sectional detail Serial N0. 287,976.

through the commutator as the same would appear if cut on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, and 5, illustrate two views of the detached commutator brush.

Fig. 6, shows a rear view of the detached commutator looking into the contact recess.

Fig. 7 illustrates a front view of the device with the cover and wires removed.

Fig. 8, shows an inner face view of the recessed side of the detached cover.

Fig. 9, illustrates a sectional detail through the cover as the same would appear if cut on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8 and Fig. 10, shows a sectional detail through the commutator,-the section being taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 12, designates the front or end of a gear casing through which the end 13, of a gear shaft projects. The front side of this gear casing is shown as having an annular recess 15, around the projecting shaft-end. and my improved commutator or timer-device is designed to enclose the shaft-end and to seat in said annular recess.

An arm 16, is rigidly attached to the end of the shaft 13 and is swung through a circular path as the shaft revolves., and said arm is provided with a socket 17, at its outer end in which a Contact brush 18, is yieldingly held: a spring 1 9, serving to press the brush outwardly.

During the travel of the arm with the shaft. the brush is caused to pass successively over several contact plates and to thereby produce sparks in the several cylinders of the engine to ignite the charges therein.

To effect this operation electrically it is obvious that a system of wires or conductors must be connected with the contact plates, and it is the object of this invention to provide improved means for carrying the contact plates, protecting and caring for these wires to avoid short circuits and misses in the firing operation, and at the same time permit ready access to the wires.

In carrying out the invention I provide a commutator body 20, which I form of an insulating material and of a substance that will be proof against oils, greases and water.

This body 20, has an annular flange 21, which forms a wall about a circular chamthrough the flanges 41 and 42 and opens at the outer side of 'the cover.

On the outer side of the enlarged end oit the cover l. provide a. circular recess 52, which receives a projection on the end of a spring` arm 53, that presses the cover and body tov/'ard the gear case oit the engine and seats the flange 21., of the body in the recess 15, of the case so it may be oscillated.

An eye 54, projects from one side of the commutator body 20, at the rear of the arm 26, so that an operating lever 55, may be engaged with said eye to oscillate the body to shift the latter and the contact plates 34, therein with respect to the shaft 13, and thereby advance or retard the spark in the cylinder.

The cominutator is especially designed to permit complete access to all the Wires tlnouehout their length duringattachment or detachment of the Wires With or 'from the stems or binding posts 35.

These wires in the form of a cable 47, are led to the end passage 31, oil the arm :ZPL-a packingr 56, being placed in the groove 30. to partly encircle the cable. Be* yond the packing the several Wires in the cable are separated. and led to and secured on the stems While an adidtional Wire 57, which is used in the lighting system is extended from the cable laterally througl'i the passage 33, at the side of the arm.

After the Wires have been connected, the cover 37, is then tted onto the body and arm.-the flanges 40, 41, straddling the bead 32, on the body and the bead therefore fittingr into the channel 42, so that a tight `ioint is made between the body and the cover. Packing material .is also placed in the groove of the cover so that a complete tight joint will be made all the Way around the cable so as to exclude grease, oils. or water. FasteningY devices are then passed through the perforations 36 and 49. and nuts are screwed onto the threaded ends ot the stems 35 so that the cover is rigidly secured in place.

The commutator then placed in position on the `@gear case with the lateral arm 26. projecting` upwardly and the Wires will all be supported in an elevated position` the arm directing;f the same to the top of the engine and at the same time contines the Wires so they will not interfere with a per son Working about the engine.

Any oil or grease that might ind its Way into the chamber 22, of the coinniutator from the shaft 13, will drain off through the `grooves 25 and port 14 from a point Well below the cable.

It is to be particularly noted that Wires may be connected to the respective binding posts While the cover is entirely removed and the posts are fully exposed and after the connections are made the cover may be attachee. This construction very materially simpliues the Wiring operation and permits ready access to the Wires throughout their length.

ily providing; the channel 25, and escape port 14. anyv particles that might be formed by Wear on the brush or contacts may Work doi-vn into chamber 22 and escape through the port.

Havingn described my invention What I claim is,-

1o AV timer device for the ignition system et an internal combustion engine, havingr in combination a body and a cover therefor,- the body having a circular enlargement at one end with a circular cavity formed in its inner tace, and at the opposite or outer face said body having marginal flange which forms a recess Which is circular at one end and elongated in a direction laterally from said circular end, Contact devices in the circular cavity in the inner face of the body and having binding posts which extend through the body and terminate in the re` cess at the outer face of the body, wires attached to the binding posts and laid along the recess at the outer side of the body and a cover having marginal flange means around its inner face to lap the marginal flange on the outer face of the body and seal the Wires and contact devices in the outer body-recess.

A timer device for the ignition system or an internal combustion engine having in combination a bodypart havingr a circular portion and, an integral laterally-projectingr arm portion said body-part being provided with a cavity at its inner side and having a recess at its opposite or outer side which latter recess extends laterally along the outer face ci said lateral arm: contact devices exposed in the said body-cavity at the in ner side and having binding posts that project tl'irough the body and terminate inthe said recess at the outer side; Wires laid loosely in said outer recess of the said body and arm and attached to the ends of the binding posts thereL-, and a cover over said body recess and having a semi-circular passage through which the Wires may pass to the outer side of the body.

3. A timer casing` comprising a moulded body-part having,T a deep recess formed in its inner side to receive the rotating brush on the end of a shaft and said body part beinof provided with a laterally projecting integral arm and tbe inner face of said arm having?? a shallow recess formed therein which recess is bound by marginal Walls with a concave packing notch near the end thereof, contact devices exposed in the deep recess at the inner side of the body and eX- tendingr through the body to the shallow recess at the outer side of said body, a detachable cover plate having a Hat circular portion ai one end and n lateral arm-portion extending therefrom Said cover plaie having' a marginal edge :it its inner face that laps the marginal Walls on the outer 5 side of the body-puri' and Said arm portion of the cover plate having a concave peeking notch to register with the packing notch in the erm portion of the body, whereby ignition wires muy De laid in the recess at the enter side of the body and connected to the 10 Contact devices therein and the Cover afterward Secured thereover, and the concave norchee` packed to prevent entrance of oil. In iestimon;v whereof I aix inv signature.

DAVID M. FULTON. 

